Coops for chickens



July 2, 1963 s. w. SHRECKHISE COOPS FOR cmcxsus 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

GEORGE 14/. .SHREC/(H LSE roe/v'y July 2,

Filed March 21, 1960 G. W. SH RECKHISE COOPS FOR CHICKENS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTaB/VEV 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 21, 1960 July 2, 1963 ca. w. SHRECKHISE COOPS FOR CHICKENS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 21, 1960 IN VEN TOR. GFOAGE W J' #185 C' KAI/J E July 2, 1963 e. w. SHRECKHISE COOPS FOR CHICKENS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 21, 1960 INVENTOR. 660965 nlrx/eecxm/me United States Patent 3,695,992 COOPS FUR CHICKENS George W. Shreckhise, Weyers Cave, Va. Filed Mar. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 16,343 4 Claims. (Cl. 2117-36) This invention relates to coops, crates and similar confining houses for chickens and other fowl and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a chicken coop or the like which is of very rigid construction in order to withstand the usual rough handling these structures are subjected to and aims particularly to provide a door or closure which is complemental to coops of the above construction, in that the opening formed in the top of the coop and in which the door or closure is mounted is reinforced so as to attain the movements required when opening and closing the door or closure.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a door or closure for chicken coops or the like in which the opening receiving the door therein is constructed to permit a limited longitudinal sliding movement against an inherent tension between the door and coop frame, in the opening and closing of the door within the opening, the movement of the door in one direction effecting the securement of the door against opening, while movement in the opposite direction releases the door so that access to the interior of the coop is made possible.

A still further and important object of the invention is the provision of a door which is readily removable for replacement in case the door becomes damaged.

It is also an important object of the invention to provide a door which is self-latching when moved into the opening of the coop or crate.

More specifically, it is an important object of the invention to provide a chicken coop or crate, the top of which is formed with an opening for access to the interior thereof, the opening being reinforced upon the underside of the top by a pair of longitudinally extending side bars and a pair of horizontal transverse bars, the longitudinally extending side bars being formed at one end with a pair of opposed slots for reception of a pivot dowel forming a part of the door for the opening, the slots being of a length permitting sliding movements of the door in a direction away from the latching means at the opposite end of the door opening and simultaneously tensioning the pivot dowel.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the coop constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section, similar to FIG- URE 3, illustrating the position and relation of the tension dowel when the door has been moved to a position so as to permit opening thereof.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the position of the door in Open position, as indicated in dotted lines, and the closing position, as indicated in solid lines.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner of removing the tension dowel for replacement of the door.

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FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a crate embodying a modified top construction and door closing means.

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 99 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a cross section on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 11 is a top plan view taken on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 12 is a longitudinal section illustrating the door in initial released position thereof; the initial closing position and the full open position, the latter two being shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 11, with the closure door in retracted or opening position.

FIGURE 14 is a top plan view of a further modified form of coop and closure operating means.

FIGURE 15 is a longitudinal cross section taken on the line 1515 of FIGURE 14.

FIGURE 16 is a cross section taken on the line 16-16 of FIGURE 15.

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary top plan view of the coop illustrating the position of the closure door when in retracted position, and

FIGURE 18 is a cross section of a portion of the crate and door, illustrating a modified form of dowel pivot pm.

There is illustrated several forms of coops or crates for confining chickens or the like and in each instance, it will be apparent that the coop constructions require structural variations to accommodate the installation of the closure door, the operation of which is similar in all instances; all coops are therefore designated generally by the reference character 11 There is illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 6 a coop or crate which comprises a base or floor member 11 and a top wall 12, each consisting of a rectangular frame defined by suitable side rails and end rails and between these rails suitably spaced upright dowels 15 are connected. It will be noted that dowels 15' which are positioned at respective ends or corners of the coop are of a diameter slightly greater than the dowels 15, affording a greater strength and rigidity at the corners audit will also be noted that the dowels 15' are so positioned as to form round corners. The dowels may be additionally supported and reinforced by means of wires 16 intertwined about the dowels. Inasmuch as the invention is mainly concerned with the top wall, the side rails are identified by the reference numeral 13 and the end rails as 14; and the corresponding parts of the base by primed reference characters.

7 Reference is now made particularly to FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings, where it will be seen that the top Wall 12 has a door-opening 17 which is preferably of rectangular shape and positioned medially of the coop. The edges of the opening 17 are reinformed by side rails 18 which are positioned beneath the wall 12 and secured to the end rails 14 and cross rails 19 are extended between and connected to the side rails 18.

The transverse edge 20 of the opening will be referred to as the forward edge, while the edge 21 will be defined as the rear edge for the sake of description. Beneath the forward edge 20 and in alignment therewith, a cross bar 22 of a length to extend from the side rails 13 and across the side rails 18 and at the points of contacting engagement are secured by means of nails indicated at 23. A similar bar 22 is connected beneath the bar 19. These nails (not illustrated in detail) are formed with spurs or serrations upon the body of the nail, so that once driven into the cross bars and rails, they may not become loose or extracted therefrom.

a the pivot dowel. and the next adjacent dowell29.

The top wall 12 may be formed from any suitable laminated wood and in such shape and size as to form the closure opening 17 when assembled and secured upon the rails 13 and 1421s well as the rails 19, by means of nails or otherwise.

The side rails 18. which reinforce the longitudinal edges of the opening are formed withelongated downwardly extending recesses 24 which are inopposed aligned relation and positioned a suitable distance inwardly of the rear edge 21 of the door opening. Upon the inner faces of the side rails 13, a stop member, in the form of a block 25 is secured, and as best seen in FIGURE 3, theforward edge of these blocks terminate on a line approximately medially of the notches 24 for a purpose as will presently be apparent. One of the side rails 13 is formed with a transverse opening 26 in alignment with the forward edge of the notches 24.

The closure for the opening 17 is defined by the reference character 27 and comprises a pair of side bar members 28 held in assembled'parallel relation bymeans of dowel pins29; The overall length and width of the door is less than the length and widthof the opening 17 so as to readily receive the door therewithin. The closure 27 is swingably mounted within the opening, and in the present instance, this is accomplished by means of a dowel 39, as will now be described;

Each side bar member 28 is provided withan opening 31 in alignment with each other and the opening 26 of the side rail 13, the openings 31 being of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the dowel '30; The length of the dowel 30 is such as to extend through both side bars, as well as through the notches 24 formed in the side rails 18 and that respective ends of the pivot dowel rest against the adjacent face of the stop members 25. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the closure 27, when inclosed position occupies a position below the level of the top 12, so that the latching ends 32 of the bar members 28 lie upon the cross bar 22 and beneath an overhanging lip 33 ofthe front end-20 of the opening. The latching ends 32 of the bars 28 are shown'as' beveled as at ,34 to facilitate passage of the closure to the position shown beneath the lip 33. It will also be noted that the bar members 28 are of a length stopping short of the cross rails 19 so that a limited rearward movement of the. closure 27 is permitted .as will now be described. a

In the operation of the door, we will assume the door to be in closed position: as shown in FIGURES lto 4 and it is desired to move the door to an open position, and, this is accomplished by imparting a rearwardly sliding movement of the door in the direction of the rear edge 21 of the opening 17. Such rearward movement may be accomplished by grasping one or more of the dowels 29 at the forward end 20 and exerting a backward draw upon the door; such movement will cause movement of the pivot dowel along the notches 24toward the opposite end thereof and since the ends of the pivot dowel is in opening 17 of the coop by merely properly positioning the door within the opening and passing the pivot pin through the opening 26 of the side rails and through the notches 24 and openings 31 of the side rails 28 of the door (see FIG. 7). This construction also permits ready replacement of doors which may become damaged.

In FIGURES 8 to 13, a modified construction of coop is disclosed, designed particularly for shipment of fowl which are larger and stronger than chickens, such as turkeys and geese, requiring a coop of greater strength and ruggedness, but obviously this construction may be employed in shipment or confinement of the former ii desired.

The crate 10' comprises a suitable base or foundation 13" and a top wall 12', the base andtop wall being of rectangular formation as in the first form shown and described and the top wall is similarly supported'by means of vertically spaced dowels 15" and also embodies the oversized corner dowels 15' as in the first form p The top wall 12' comprises a pair of side stringers or rails 36 which are positioned upon and secured'by means of nails or otherwise, to cross bars 37. Spaced inwardly of each side stringer or rail 36, a stringer or rail 38 is secured to respective cross .bars 37. The rails 38 being so spaced as to form the sides of a medial opening 3? for a closure as will be presently described. Positioned intermediately of the rails 38and parallel therebctween,

short rails and 41 are provided at the latching end'for the closure andnthe pivot end thereof respectively; the rail 40 being secured to the cross bar 37 and the rail 41 being secured to the adjacent cross rail 37. A pair of spaced reinforcing and supportbars 42 and 43 are secured to the undersides of the rails 36 and 38 and are so spaced as to pass beneath the respective inner ends of the short rails 40 and 41. j

The upper edges of the rails 38 land the short rail 40 are formed with respective aligned recesses 44 for seating engagement of a bar 45, which in conjunction with contact with the stop members 25, the pivot dowel 30" will be bowed and tensioned as shown in FIGURE 5.' In this positionthe latch ends 32 of the door will have cleared the lip 33 and the door may beswung to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 6. When it is desired to closethe door, it is only necessary to swing the door into the opening so that the beveled edges 34 of the bars'28 come to rest upon the upper edge of the lip 33 and thne exert a downward pressure upon the door,

which of course partakes of a rearward movement,

flexing the pivot dowel 30. Return movement of the dowel to normal position will force the latch ends in'a' forward direction beneath the lip 33 and resting upon the cross bar 22. i i V V In order to prevent excessive bowingof the pivot dowel 30, a coil tension spring 35 may be connected betwee The door 27 may be readily assembled within the the bar 42 forms the latching means for the closure as will be apparent as the description proceeds. In addition, a bar 42' is employed to reinforce the rails 38and V 40 to compensate for ;any.,weakness developed inthe formation of the recesses 44.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 9 of the drawings, the inner edge of thefibar 45 extends in a vertical plane, aligned with the rear edge of the bar 42 and preferably the upper edge of the bar 45 is slightly rounded to facilitate latching of the closure.

The inner end of the short rail 41 is cut at an angle as at 46 which construction permits the closure to move to a position as shown by dotted lines in FIGURE 12.

The top wall is completed in the provision of dowels 47 which extend from side stringers 36 and through rails 38 and 40 atone end of the crate and through rails 38 and 41 at the other end of the crate, there being five of such dowels shown in the present instance. a Short dowels 48 are mounted between the rails 36 and 38 and itnowonly remains to installthe closure to complete the top wall as will now be described.

.The closure 29 is of substantially the same construction as in the first form described and of such dimensions as to be received within the closure opening 39 ot'the top wall and partake of swinging movements to open and closed positions as will be required.

The side rails 28" are connected by suitable transverse dowels and the closure at the pivot end thereof are provided with aligned openings 31' and receive a pivot dowel pin 50 therethrough, the dowel being of a length to extendthrough a horizontally disposed elongated slot 51 formed in each of the rails38 and terminate in aligned bearing openings 52 and 52', the latter bearing 'beingopen upon the underside thereof as indicated at 53 in FIGURE 10, for a purpose as will presently appear. The forward ends of the side rails 28' are formed 'with an upwardly tapered edge providing a projecting lip spaced at-such a distance as to engage beneath the bar 45 when the rails 28' are in contacting engagement with the bar 42.

In order to reduce downward pressure upon the pivot dowel 58, as well as to afford support to the closure, a transverse bar 55 is positioned beneath the rails 36 and 38 and secured thereto and preferably located a distance in advance of the pivot dowel pin 50 and thus the bar 55 also provides an anchorage means for one end of a helical spring 56, the other end being anchored to the dowel pin 50. The spring 56 may be selectively engaged or disengaged from the pivot dowel pin and bar to increase or decrease the tension required to open the closure 49 under sliding movements thereof. In this instance, a spring clip 57 is employed to prevent excessive bowing of the pivot dowel pin.

The operation of moving the closure 49 to open and closed positions is the same as previously described, but removal or partial removal of the pivot dowel 50 for replacement of the closure, is eflfected by flexing the dowel downwardly through the opening 53 (see FIGURE and withdrawing the dowel a desired distance to release the closure; it being also noted that the beating openings 52 act as a stop means under flexing movement of the dowel pin 50 during opening movement of the closure.

The structure of the coop shown in FIGURES 14 to 17 is similar to that described in FIGURES 8 to 13 in that a heavy duty coop is presented and the corresponding parts are indicated by primed reference characters and in the present construction the side rails 38' are provided at the pivot end of the closure opening 39' with an elongated slot 58 positioned in opposed aligned relation for housing a coiled spring 59. The pivot dowel pin 50 being freely journalled in suitable opposed openings formed in the side rails 28 of the closure and of a length to present projecting end members 69 so as to contact one end portion of the spring 59. One of the pairs of side rails 36' and 38 are formed with aligned openings 61 of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the pivot dowel pin 50'. The springs 59 as shown, will exert pressure upon the pivot dowel pin and thus maintain a latched relation of the closure between the bar members 45' and 42'. However, upon sliding movement of the closure in the direction of the pivot dowel pin 50', the springs 59 will be compressed to allow the opposite end of the closure to become released irom engagement between the bars 42' and 45' whereupon the closure may be swung to open position and the springs will return to normal expanded position. Obviously, upon movement of the closure into closed position and exertion of pressure upon the closure, the inclined face 54 of the side rails 28" will contact the rounded edge of the bar 45' and effect a slight compression of the springs so that the latching lips of the rails 28" may be engaged between the bars 42' and 45' and thus secure the closure against accidental opening.

In the event that the closure 49 becomes damaged and has to be replaced, the pivot pin 60 may be readily removed 'by moving the closure and pivot dowel pin so as to compress the springs, permitting alignment of the dowel 60 with the openings 61 and the dowel pin may thus be readily moved through the openings 61.

A modified form of pivot dowel is shown in FIGURE 18, which is applicable to use in the structure of FIG- URES 14 to 17. The side rails 38 embody springs 59 as described. The dowel pin 60' comprises an integral axially extended shaft 62 of reduced diameter which is freely mounted in an opening 63 formed in one of the side rails 28" of the closure. The opposite end of the pin 60' is formed with an internal axial bore 64 for slidably receiving an end of a shaft 65, the opposite end of the shaft being journalled in an opening 63 aligned with the opening 63, the ends of the shafts 62 and 65 being in contacting engagement with respective springs 59. It will be seen that the pivot dowel pin stops short of the next adjacent rail 28 and a helical spring 66 is positioned upon the shaft interposed bet-ween said rail 28" and the end of the pivot dowel pin 60' and thus the dowel 60 is maintained in operative position between the closure rails 28" and the side rails 38 defining the closure opening.

In order to remove the closure from the crate, it is only necessary to exert a longitudinal pressure upon the dowel pin 68 against the spring 66 which will retract the shaft 62 from the opening of the rail 38' and the closure may then be readily manipulated to release the shaft 65 from the bore 64 or opening 63 as desired.

While I have shown and described preferred forms of the coops, this is by way of illustration only, and I consider as my own all such modifications in construction as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a chicken coop having a top wall comprising two pairs of longitudinally extending spaced apart rails, the innermost rail of each pair of rails forming a door opening, a short rail member at respective ends of the coop and positioned in the longitudinal medial axis of the coop, spaced dowels secured between each pair of spaced rails and the short rails, the dowels adjacent the innermost rails forming the door-opening terminating therein; a door member complemental to the door-opening and comprising parallel side rails and being interconnected by spaced dowels, one of said dowels at one end of the side rails of the door being freely slidable therethrough, the innermost rails of said pair of rails having a longitudinally extending slot aligned with a respective recess formed in each of the outermost rails of said pair of rails, said freely slidable dowel being of a length to extend through the slots to seat respective ends of the dowel in an aperture of the outermost rails to form a hinge connection between the door and the top wall, the short rail adjacent the :hinge connection having an upwardly tapered end face, a reinforcing bar positioned beneath said pairs of rails and said short rail and secured thereto, a similar bar being positioned beneath said rails at the opposite end of the door-opening, the innermost rails and said short rail being recessed upon their upper faces, a latch bar secured in said recesses but spaced above and forwardly of said reinforcing bar to provide a space for passage of the side rails therebetween due to resilient tension provided between the slots and the dowel engaged therein.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which one of the apertures of the side rails is formed with a lower open side to permit downward flexing movement of the free slidable dowel.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which a tension spring is detachable connected between said slidable dowel and adjacent reinforcing bar.

4. The structure of claim 1, in which the free ends of the side rails of said door terminate in an upwardly inclined face and further having a recessed upper portion of a depth to accommodate the adjacent reinforcing bar.

References (Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,024,441 Davis Apr. 23, 1912 1,923,787 Larsen Aug. 22, 1933 2,575,441 Burnett Nov. 20, 1951 2,651,815 Aylor Sept. 15, 1953 2,813,508 Hobbs Nov. 19, 1957 2,863,691 Carpenter Dec. 9, 1958 2,867,842 Morton Jan. 13, 1959 

1. THE COMBINATION OF A CHICKEN COOP HAVING A TOP WALL COMPRISING TWO PAIRS OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SPACED APRAT RAILS, THE INNERMOST RAIL OF EACH PAIR OF RAILS FORMING A DOOR OPENING, A SHORT RAIL MEMBER AT RESPECTIVE ENDS OF THE COOP AND POSITIONED IN THE LONGITUDINAL MEDIAL AXIS OF THE COOP, SPACED DOWELS SECURED BETWEEN EACH PAIR OF SPACED RAILS AND THE SHORT RAILS, THE DOWELS ADJACENT OF THE INNERMOST RAILS FORMING THE DOOR-OPENING TERMINATING THEREIN; A DOOR MEMBER COMPLEMENTAL TO THE DOOR-OPENING AND COMPRISING PARALLEL SIDE RAILS AND BEING INTERCONNECTED BY SPACED DOWELS, ONE OF SAID DOWELS AT ONE END OF THE SIDE RAILS OF THE DOOR BEING FREELY SLIDABLE THERETHROUGH, THE INNERMOST RAILS OF SAID PAIR OF RAILS HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOT ALIGNED WITH A RESPECTIVE RECESS FORMED IN EACH OF THE OUTERMOST RAILS OF SAID PAIR OF RAILS, SAID FREELY SLIDABLE DOWEL BEING OF A 